


Pleasant Dreams

by BeccaAnne814



Series: Loki x Reader Series [1]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Loki being Loki, PG-13 Sexy Times, Slow Burn, cursing, hallucinogenics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-25
Updated: 2019-11-25
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:10:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21559264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeccaAnne814/pseuds/BeccaAnne814
Summary: Having Thor back on Earth is great, but he just had to bring along his mischievous brother.  You and Loki have a tumultuous relationship which isn’t helped at all by a trick he plays on you.  Can the God of Mischief cast aside his trickster ways and be the man you need him to be?
Relationships: Loki x Reader
Series: Loki x Reader Series [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1553728
Comments: 7
Kudos: 38





	Pleasant Dreams

**Loki Laufeyson x Reader**

**Summary** – Having Thor back on Earth is great, but he just had to bring along his mischievous brother. You and Loki have a tumultuous relationship which isn’t helped at all by a trick he plays on you. Can the God of Mischief cast aside his trickster ways and be the man you need him to be?

**Warnings** – Angst, Slow Burn, PG-13 Sexual Situations, Hallucinogenics, Loki being Loki, Fluff…probably a curse word or two

**Word Count** – 17.4K

**Notes **\- Parts 1 - 12 of 12

** _**Updated October 8, 2019**_ **

_ ** [Masterlist](https://beccaanne814.tumblr.com/post/174989754188/masterlist) ** _

[[MORE]]

YN sat in the common room of the compound and looked around at her friends laughing and joking. It had been touch and go for a while after Thanos had snapped half of the universe out of existence, but they'd rallied and defeated the Mad Titan once for all. Now it was time to relax—at least until the next catastrophe forced them into action. By unspoken agreement, they all began to congregate together in the evenings. YN wasn't sure why, but she thought it had something to do with finding comfort in the familiar.

She'd been worried that Steve and Tony would pick up their feud once again, but so far everything seemed to be going smoothly between the two headstrong super heroes. Even Barnes and Wilson seemed to be getting along, although she was sure that had something to do with them both deciding to gang up on the kid and make his life a living hell. Clint and Scott had both gone back to their families and she wasn't sure they'd see either of them for a long while.

Things were still awkward between Nat and Bruce, but Rhodey was running interference on that situation. Vision and Wanda had been holed up in her room for the better part of a week after the universe had been restored to its previous—if somewhat flawed—condition, but they'd eventually emerged from their love nest and rejoined the group.

The only Avenger not currently accounted for was Thor. He'd fought side by side with them, but once they'd claimed victory, he'd declared that Asgard needed him and he'd disappeared in the blink of an eye. No one seemed too upset that he'd left, and YN had figured it was his duty as King to make sure his people were taken care of. It was a shock, then, when he suddenly appeared looking like a kid that had just gotten caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"Greetings," Thor announced as he waltzed into the common room.

There was a chorus of greetings from the various Avengers scattered throughout the room, but no one seemed to picking up on Thor's uneasiness but YN.

"Everything okay?" YN asked, giving him a worried look.

He plastered a huge smile on his face and clapped his hands together. "Of course it is. Why wouldn't it be?"

Nat's eyes shot up from the magazine she'd been reading and zeroed in on Thor. "There's something you're not telling us."

At Nat's words, the rest of the group suddenly started paying attention, causing Thor to shift uneasily from one foot to the other.

"Well, now that you mention it. . ." Thor began. "I may have mentioned that my sister sorta destroyed Asgard. . ."

"That didn't get fixed after we defeated Thanos?" Steve asked with a confused look on his face.

"Uh, guys," Rhodey said as he glanced out the window onto the front lawn. "You might want to come see this."

They all rushed over to the window only to find hundreds of people exiting a space ship. 

"Thor, care to explain why there are Asgardian peasants ruining my lawn?" Tony asked as his eye began to twitch.

"We had nowhere else to go, and Earth has been so welcoming to me," Thor explained with a offhandedly shrug.

"It's fine," YN said as she walked over and laid a hand on his arm. "We'll get them set up in the hangar until we can find a permanent place for them. I'm sure Tony has some unused property somewhere that can accommodate your people."

Thor looked down at her with a grateful smile. "You're too kind, my friend."

Steve started issuing assignments—taking charge like he always did, but Thor held up a hand to stop him.

"There's one more tiny little detail," he said as he squinted his eyes and held his thumb and forefinger a few millimeters apart.

"Why do I get the feeling we're not going to like this tiny little detail?" Nat asked, sensing something bad was coming.

"It's just that. . ." Thor started to say before he was interrupted.

"What my brother is trying to say is that he brought me along with him," Loki finished for Thor as he walked around the corner into the common room. "Surprise."

There was a moment of shocked silence before the room erupted in noise as everyone started yelling at once. They were only quieted when they heard the tell-tale sound of a portal being opened.

"Loki," Strange said as he stepped through the glowing orange circle that had magically appeared in the middle of the room. "You know you're not welcome on Earth."

Loki held up his hands as Thor stepped forward to intervene. "I can explain. He was under Thanos' control. . ."

"I can speak for myself, brother," Loki interrupted.

"I'm not interested in excuses," Strange announced as he began hitting his fists together to create another portal.

YN stepped in front of Strange to try to reason with him, and too late, realized her mistake. One second she had been standing in the compound and now she was on what appeared to be a small island in the middle of the ocean. Turning around, she saw that she wasn't alone.

"What the hell?" she asked as her eyes grew wide in shock.

"At least I'm not falling again," Loki muttered as he surveyed his surroundings. "This is much better."

"Better?" YN asked, her voice edging on panic. "I'm stuck on an island—with you."

A seductive smile spread across his face. "It could be worse. You could've been banished here with my brother. He's not the brightest apple on the tree."

"Really? You think I would prefer to be stranded with a homicidal maniac over a dumb jock?"

Loki feigned being hurt by her words. "Ooh, that's a bit harsh, don't you think?"

"You tried to kill me, or don't you remember New York?"

A look came over his face that YN couldn't quite decipher. Just then she remembered Thor's words before Strange sent her and Loki through the portal.

"Was Thor telling the truth?" she asked as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Loki gave her a withering look over his shoulder as he began walking toward the shade of a coconut tree a few yards from the waters edge. She almost let him go, but she was starting to get hot out in the open sun and she wanted answers.

"I asked you a question."

He waited until she sat down beside him before looking over at her. "Why should you believe anything I tell you?"

"Did Thanos use the mind stone on you like you did on Clint?"

He let out a deep breath and kicked at the sand beneath his feet. "You fought against Thanos—you know what he was like."

"That didn't answer my question," she told him as she poked his shoulder. "Thor seems to think you were. Or are you just spinning another lie because you have nowhere else to go?"

"Ow," he said as he rubbed the spot she poked. "Fine. If you want the truth so badly, then yes, Thanos used that damn stone on me."

"Dammit," she muttered as she let out a groan of frustration.

"What's wrong? Can't handle the truth? Are you upset that I'm not truly the monster that haunts your dreams?"

She looked over and glared at him. "No, I'm pissed off because I'm going to have to forgive you."

His brows furrowed in confusion. "Why's that?"

She let out a huff. "I made this huge speech about forgiving Clint unconditionally because he wasn't in his right mind."

"Ah," he said as he began to chuckle. "And now that applies to me as well."

"I still hate you," she said as she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.

"And I still hate all of you," he assured her. 

They fell into an uneasy silence as they watched the waves gently lapping against the shore. She had no idea how long Strange was going to leave them stranded on the island, but she hoped it wouldn't be too much longer. She may not have to fear for her life around Loki, but that didn't mean she wanted to braid his hair and compare battle scars.

She'd eventually stretched out under the tree and began to doze. When she heard the sound of a portal being opened, she immediately jumped to her feet and started yelling at the wizard.

"Dammit Strange. You couldn't have come back and gotten me once you realized I was stuck with Loki?"

She pushed past him through the portal and was never so glad to see the inside of the compound. Looking around at the faces of her friends, a harsh truth dawned on her.

"None of you?" she asked. "None of you insisted that he bring me back?"

"We figured if Loki didn't kill you, then it meant Thor was telling the truth," Sam offered with a grin.

YN's face became a mask of fury as she slowly shook her head. "Who invited Wilson again? Like seriously, why is he even here?"

"I'm sorry, YN," Thor said as he walked over and laid both hands on her shoulders. "I had to convince Strange that Loki had changed. You weren't harmed, were you?"

"No," she muttered as she shrugged a shoulder. "It wasn't too horrible."

"So?" Loki asked once he'd come through the portal.

"You're their problem," Strange announced as he closed the portal to the island and opened another back to the Sanctum. "But just remember, if you get up to your old habits, you'll have me to answer to."

Without waiting for a response, Strange stepped through the portal and was gone.

"Correction," Tony said, looking at Thor. "He's your problem."

Thor grabbed Loki's shoulder and pulled him into his side. "You hear that brother? Now we can fight side by side again."

"Yay," Loki said with a grimace.

Loki acted anything but thrilled at this prospect, but YN saw something in his eye that spoke otherwise. As she was trying to determine his true feelings, he looked over at her and gave her a wink. Maybe having him around wouldn't be all that bad.

"Can't sleep?"

YN wasn't sure how he did it. One minute she was completely alone and the next he was right there beside her. She tried not to let him see how much he affected her, but the more time she spent around the God of Mischief, the harder it was to deny that he fascinated her—in more ways than one.

"Not that you care, but no, I can't sleep." She gritted her teeth and hoped that her clipped tone and crossed arms would clue him into the fact that she didn't want him around.

One corner of his mouth lifted into a semblance of a smile as he waved a hand in the air. Out of nowhere, a small silver tin appeared in the palm of his hand.

"My mother used to make me tea when I couldn't sleep. I'd be willing to share if. . ." 

His voice trailed off and YN was instantly suspicious. She knew she shouldn't accept anything from him, especially if it came from Asgard, and the way he phrased the offer let her know that he expected something in return.

"If what?"

"If. . ." He let out a breath and let the words die on his lips. "Never mind. You may have the tea if you'd like—no strings attached."

She was curious about what his stipulation would have been, and she was even more wary of him now. He obviously wanted something from her, or he was just trying to goad her—she never could tell with him.

"I think I'll pass," she told him as she went to the cupboard to get down a container of chamomile tea.

He laid a hand over hers and gently shut the cabinet door. "I would never do anything to hurt you. I only want to help."

She gave him a withering look.

"If I'd wanted to do you harm, I would have done so while we were stranded on the island." He waited to see her reaction, but he didn't get one. "Besides, I'd be a fool to court danger with all of your friends watching my every move."

She thought over his words carefully and let out a huff as she nodded to where his hand still held hers. She'd never admit it, but the feeling of his hand on hers was starting to make her heart race a bit.

With a smirk, he removed his hand and took a step back. "It's only tea—I promise."

An internal debate raged within her. On one hand, she couldn't forget who he was and what he'd done. She knew that he'd been under Thanos' control, but he'd been free of the mind stone when he'd enchanted his father and stuck him in a retirement home on Earth so he could steal the throne.

But on the other hand, Thor had begged them to give his brother another chance, and it was so hard to deny Thor anything. The God of Thunder may be an imposing figure on the battlefield, but the other ninety-five percent of the time he was like a giant puppy that just wanted everyone to love him.

"Fine," she conceded. "I'll try your tea, but I swear. . ."

"You'll kill me if something untoward happens to you?" he finished for her with a wide grin.

She narrowed her eyes at him, but he simply turned away and began preparing the teapot. Leaning back against the countertop she let him boil the water, but when it came to actually steeping the leaves, she insisted on doing it herself. She wouldn't put it past him to slip something else into the mug when she wasn't looking.

Bidding him a terse thanks, she took the steaming mug back to her room. She would've never admitted it to him, but it smelled amazing. Leaning over the cup and inhaling deeply, she could already feel the edges of her mind start to soften. With just a few sips, she was relaxed and pliant.

_Her bed was warm and soft and as she lingered on the edge of sleep, so she tried to will herself to fall back into the blissful slumber she'd just been enjoying. She felt the bed dip behind her, but she wasn't alarmed. As long, graceful fingers began trailing over her skin, she felt heat begin to course through her body—awakening not just her mind._

_She leaned back and felt the hard wall of his lithe torso as he pulled her into the curve of his body. His mouth was hot, but soft as he began to kiss along the sensitive skin of her neck. As his hands slipped under the hem of her shirt and his lips continued to kiss what skin was exposed, she felt the moan rise up from deep within her._

With a start, YN awoke. Sitting up in bed, she struggled to catch her breath. Her body was achy and hot in a way she hadn't felt in a very long time. As the details of the dream started to come back to her fully, she realized that she knew exactly who she'd been dreaming about—even if she hadn't seen his face.

Anger began to take over, and for that she was grateful. Rage she could deal with; lust—especially for him—not so much.

Throwing on the first clothes she could find, she stormed off to find him. After a quick search of the main common areas, she reluctantly gave up. There was a possibility that he was still in his room, but she'd be a fool to go knocking on his door—especially since she couldn't get the thought of his hands on her body out of her mind.

Turning a corner on her way back to her room, she ran headlong into Thor.

"I'm sorry," she apologized quickly. 

Thor gave her a long look. "Where are you going in such a hurry?" 

"Well, if you must know, I'm off to kill your miserable excuse for a brother."

Thor's smile fell. "What has Loki done now?"

She'd spoken out of anger, and now she realized that she'd have to tell Thor about the tea. Resigning herself to feeling like a fool in front of the god, she dropped her gaze and let out a long breath.

"I couldn't sleep last night and he gave me some Asgardian tea," she explained, still not meeting his eyes. "He said your mother gave it to him when he was a child, so I assumed it would be harmless."

She chanced a glance at Thor and was surprised to see the happy smile upon his face. "I'm glad you and Loki are becoming friends."

From the look on Thor's face, she started to suspect that her vivid dreams of his brother hadn't been induced by the tea. Could she really be developing feelings for Loki?

"So, the tea?"

"Is completely harmless," Thor assured her as he patted her shoulder. "Mother gave it me as well when I was a child."

A light seemed to go on in his eyes and his smile began to fade.

"Thor? What is it?"

He scrunched up his face and shook his head. "I'm sure it's nothing."

Her voice became hard as she glared at him. "Thor."

He took a step away from her as he began to shift from one foot to another. "There were tales on Asgard that adults had a different reaction to the tea. But I'm sure they were just fanciful stories—no truth to them at all."

Her stomach dropped. She was scared to ask, but she knew she had to. "What reaction?"

He gave her a sympathetic look. "Some claimed that it was an aphrodisiac."

YN threw back her head and swore. "I knew it. That son of a bitch." She pointed a finger at Thor. "Your brother is dead."

Leaving Thor speechless in the middle of the hall, she stormed down the corridor toward Loki's room. As if sensing that she was coming, the door opened before she could begin pounding on it. He stood just across the threshold with a seductive grin.

"Pleasant dreams?"

YN heard the knock on her door and almost ignored it. She hadn't been sleeping well since the incident with Loki and the tea, and she'd read that meditation might help her calm her mind enough to get a decent night's sleep. Currently in Lotus pose with her back straight and her chi centered, she was hesitant to lose the focus she'd spent the past twenty minutes attaining.

Falling asleep wasn't her problem—it was the dreams. Thor had assured her that the effects of the tea were temporary, but she'd been dreaming about the green-eyed God of Mischief every night since—if you could call what her brain conjured up as dreams. Most people would have another name for the images and scenarios that ran rampant through her mind in the middle of the night.

When the knock sounded again, she let out a sigh and rose to answer it. Whoever was on the other side obviously had no intentions of leaving without speaking to her. Muttering a curse under her breath, she forced a placid smile on her face and opened the door.

"I thought you might be having trouble sleeping again," Loki said with a mischievous grin on his face as he offered a steaming mug.

YN's eyes grew wide with shock. Was he really bringing her another cup of tea?

"Are you out of your mind?" she asked as her eyes narrowed in anger.

"Please don't slap me again," Loki implored as he remembered the last time they'd spoken a few nights before. He could still feel the biting sting of her hand across his cheek.

"Oh, next time it won't be a slap," she assured him as the corner of her lip lifted in an evil smirk. "I was thinking more along the lines of a knife to the back."

"Ouch," he said a bit seductively.

She hated the way her body started to grow warm when he used that tone with her. His voice was as much of an aphrodisiac as his tea, and she powerless to curb her growing attraction to him. She'd resorted to complete avoidance, but her mind—and her body—still craved what she knew she should resist.

"What game are you playing?" she asked as she crossed her arms over her chest. It was a defensive move, but it also helped to conceal the ragged breaths being in his presence induced.

He gave her a wink as his smile deepened. "I'm just trying to be friendly."

"No you're not."

"No, I'm not," he agreed as his eyes began to darken. "I think you're beginning to feel the same way about me that I feel about you, and I thought you might need a little push."

"And you thought drugging me was the best option?" she asked as she rolled her eyes and shook her head in disbelief. "You can't get a woman on your own, so you have to slip her a roofie?"

"What's a 'roofie?' "

She waved away his question. "I don't want your tea, and I don't want you."

With a wave of his hand, the tea disappeared. "I miscalculated with the tea—I apologize."

Now that the tea was no longer a part of their conversation, her mind was free to focus on what he'd just said a few moments ago. He'd all but admitted that he had feelings for her. Was it just sexual, or was it more? She knew she should be hoping that he was just horny—no pun intended—but a part of her secretly hoped it was more.

"You could always try asking a woman out to dinner instead of drugging her," she said, surprising herself as she heard the words roll off of her tongue.

A glint of interest flared in his eyes. "Is that right? What a novel concept."

She felt her bravado fading quickly now that she'd left herself open to rejection. What if he was just messing with her because he was bored?

"Tomorrow, then?"

Confusion muddled her brain for a moment. Had he just asked her out? On a date? As the reality of the situation started to become clear, her thoughts shifted. Could she really be considering going on a date with Loki? The same Loki that had tried to take over the world? The same Loki that had deliberately drugged her so she would have dreams about him? She mentally sighed as she acknowledged that it wasn't his fault that he was the one starring in her dreams—that was all on her, and her growing attraction to him. Maybe if she went out with him, it would be horrible and she could move on and forget about those sexy eyes and long, graceful fingers that made her weak in the knees.

"Somewhere with linen napkins." If she were going to do this, she'd damn well make sure the restaurant was at least decent.

"Of course," he agreed with a smile. "I'm looking forward to sharing a meal with you." He paused for a moment before leaning in and lightly grazing his knuckles down the side of her face. "But I more interested in what's for dessert."

Her date with Loki had gone much better than she'd anticipated. He'd shown up at her door promptly at six o'clock wearing a crisp black suit with a black shirt and black tie. There was something about a man in all black that spoke to her on a visceral level, so she'd known the moment she saw him, she was in for trouble.

He'd produced a bouquet of her favorite flowers, and for a moment she wondered if he did have the ability to read minds and had just been lying to everyone. But when she mentioned that they were her favorite as she buried her nose in the fragrant blooms, he'd looked genuinely shocked and pleased with himself. Maybe it had been a lucky guess, or maybe he was a better actor than everyone gave him credit for.

The restaurant had linen napkins and linen tablecloths, so she'd had to give him credit for going all out. The wine list had been extensive, but he'd ordered from it as though he'd been doing so all his life. For all she knew, restaurants on Asgard had been similar to the ones on earth. He'd even gone so far as to recommend certain dishes that would pair well with the wine he'd ordered. Taking his word, she'd chosen one of his suggestions and hadn't been disappointed.

Her disappointment had come later in the evening.

She knew she shouldn't complain, but he'd been the perfect gentleman the entire evening—not one single lewd innuendo. After his comment about dessert, she'd been expecting him to make at least one pass at her, but he hadn't even tried for a goodnight kiss when he'd walked her to her door. She'd smiled and thanked him for a lovely evening, but a part of her was frustrated that he'd gotten her all wound up and then left her hanging. It was no wonder then, that her subconscious filled in the missing pieces of the date that she'd been secretly hoping would come about. 

_His long, nimble fingers popped each button on her shirt, and although her chest was rapidly rising and falling with pent up desire, his fingers never so much as brushed against hers. By the time he'd slipped the blouse from her shoulders, she was desperate to feel his hands on her skin, but he was intent on taking his time._

_For a long moment, he simply stood and drank in the sight of her before him. She could see desire clouding his eyes, so she knew he wanted her as much as she wanted him, but she was hesitant to make the first move._

_Dragging his eyes back to hers, he took a step forward and raised his hands to frame her face. His lips were firm, but soft, as he lightly brushed them over hers. He was content to go slow and eke out every ounce of pleasure he could before he was ready to make another move._

_But she wasn't content to go slow. Her body ached with desire and she felt the urge to be greedy. Raking her fingers through his hair, she tilted her head to deepen the kiss as she felt a moan rise up within him. Closing the distance between them, she brought her body flush against his and was delighted when his hands left her face to roam over the bare skin of her back._

With a start, YN sat straight up in bed. Her heart was racing beneath her heaving chest as she fought to drag air into her lungs. Hanging her head, she cursed. She was going to kill him.

Throwing off the covers, she grabbed the silk robe off the hook on the back of her door and slipped it on over her pajamas. She was going to march right down to his room and give him a piece of her mind. If thought he could get away with drugging her every night, he had another thing coming. She had no idea how he'd slipped the tea to her this time, but she was going to put a stop to it.

The hallway was dark as she stalked toward his door. Every instinct within her demanded that she pound on the plank of wood separating him from her, but it was late and she didn't want to wake the others. She told herself she was being considerate, but she knew it more the humiliation she felt at having these dreams about him than any desire to let her friends sleep peacefully.

Knocking softly, she waited for him to open the door. She'd heard the rustle of bedclothes, so she knew he was awake. But when he opened the door, she realized that she hadn't really thought her plan through. Gone was the sophisticated suit and in its place was a pair of pajama bottoms that were riding dangerously low on his hips.

She froze as her gaze zeroed in on the muscular torso on full display before her. He wasn't built like Thor with huge bulging muscles, but his lithe form was appealing in its own way.

"May I help you?"

His softly spoken question broke the spell she'd been under and she was finally able to drag her gaze away from his chest and up to meet his obviously amused eyes. Remembering why she was there, she squared her shoulders and glared at him.

"Drug me with that damn tea one more time, and I promise I will kill you," she snarled with more malice than she'd planned on using.

His lips turned up at the end as he quietly began to chuckle. "My dear, I haven't given you any more of the tea."

Her anger faltered for a moment. "Don't lie to me."

He lifted a finger and drew an X over his heart. "I promise. If you're having dreams, then that's all on you." 

It took her a moment to process his words as her mouth fell open in shock. If he were telling the truth—which he mostly likely wasn't—then that meant the dreams she'd been having weren't his fault.

He peeked his head out of the door and looked up and down the hall before grabbing the belt of her robe and gently tugging. 

"What are you doing?"

"What I should have done a few hours ago," he said just before he leaned in and captured her lips with his.

She gasped in surprise and he seized the opportunity to deepen the kiss. Her hands rose to his chest as her fingers lightly grazed over his bare skin. She could feel her resolve start to slip away as he began to untie the belt of her robe. This is what she'd been dreaming about, but now that she was face to face with the object of her desire, she couldn't help but feel like something was off.

"This isn't right," she whispered as she pulled away from him.

"Who cares if it's right or wrong?" He gave her a hard look. "You want me and I want you—it's as simple as that."

She shook her head. "That's not what I meant." Furrowing her brow, she tried to figure out what was bothering her. She looked down at her hands pressed firmly against his pecs and then it hit her. Lifting her gaze back up to his, a smile spread across her face. "I want to see you."

He narrowed his eyes. "You're already getting quite the show."

Shaking her head, she repeated her words as she emphasized each one. "I. Want. To. See. You."

She knew the instant he realized what she meant, and when his cocky demeanor began to crack, she felt her heart break a little. Knowing he needed some reassurance, she leaned in and kissed him again. "Please?"

He hadn't planned on heeding her request, but that last pleading inquiry did him in. Taking a step back from her, he dropped his head and allowed the glamour to fade away.

When the shimmer of gold filtered over his body, she hadn't been sure what to expect, but once she finally saw him for who he truly was, she was mesmerized. Reaching up, she traced her fingers over the raised patterns of lines that spread across his pale blue face. At her touch, he looked up and she was shocked to see his bright red eyes staring back at her.

"You're beautiful."

He opened his mouth to disagree, but she placed a finger against his lips before he could utter a word.

With a grin, she lowered her hand to his shoulder and leaned in for another kiss. She could feel his hesitation at first, but eventually he allowed himself to lose himself in her once again.

Reluctantly, she pulled away to look at him. "It's getting late."

"You could stay," he suggested as his usual swagger began to come back to him.

She laughed and shook her head. "I've already kissed you on the first date. I'm not about to sleep with you as well."

He reached out for her, but she easily dodged his seeking hands. "Uh-uh. You got a kiss. If you want more, then you'll have to earn it."

"And how do I do that?"

"Let me in," she told him as her voice turned serious. "Stop hiding behind your glamours and let me get to know you."

He looked down at his hands as though he'd never seen them before. She wondered how often he allowed his true self to manifest, and what it must do to his psyche to constantly hide who he really was.

"I'll try," he finally said as his gaze rose to meet hers.

"I think that's the most honest thing you've ever said to me."

"Thank you."

She cocked her head to the side. "Why are you thanking me?"

"For accepting me for who I am, and not who you want me to be," he said with a sigh. 

Too choked up with emotion to speak, she simply nodded her head and started for the door. This night had taken a turn she hadn't been expecting, but she was excited to see how it would all play out in the end. 

As she slipped back beneath her covers, she wondered if her body would be appeased with the few kisses she'd shared with Loki, or if her subconscious would pick back up where it had left off. A grin spread across her face as she secretly hoped to finish the dream that had spurred her decision to head to Loki's room. She might not be ready to take their relationship to the next level just yet, but that didn't mean she couldn't fantasize about it.

YN hit the cool down button on the treadmill and slowed from a run to a walk. It was just after two in the morning, but she couldn't sleep. The dreams were driving her crazy, but she refused to give into them just yet. Instead, she vented her frustrations the other way she knew how—running.

"You're up late," Steve said as he made his way into the exercise room.

"Actually, I'm up early," she corrected with a shrug.

"Can't sleep?"

"Sleeping's not the problem."

"Ahh," he said with a chuckle as he took the machine beside her and set it for an easy running pace. "Thor may have mentioned something about you, Loki, and some Asgardian tea."

YN groaned as she closed her eyes in shame. "Does everyone know?"

"No," he assured her, causing her to look up at him in disbelief. "I promise, it's just me and Thor." He paused for a moment as he debated his next words carefully. "So, you and Loki, huh?"

She let out a dejected sigh. "I've lost my mind, right? Please tell me I've lost my mind." She gave him an imploring look. "Thor thinks it's wonderful, but I just don't know."

"You were the one advocating for him when he first arrived." 

Steve had a point, and she stood by her initial defense. Everyone deserved a second chance, but she wasn't sure she was ready for all the baggage that Loki carried with him.

"New York wasn't entirely his fault," she said. "He was under the control of the Mind Stone just like Clint had been. But what about all the other things he did?"

"You mean the other times he betrayed Thor?"

YN nodded her head. "I want to believe that he's changed, but he's done some pretty horrible things without Thanos pulling his strings. It's one of the reasons why Thor didn't question his actions in New York—he'd already been betrayed by his brother."

"You have a point," Steve agreed as he blew out a breath. "I want to believe he's changed, too. . ."

"But?" YN finished for him when he didn't seem able to put his thoughts into words.

"But. . .he did give you that tea, even though he knew what it would do."

YN let out a long sigh. "That's what I keep coming back to. Thor assured me it was harmless and only invoked dreams, but Loki had to have known what it would do. Was he just being mischievous, or did he have an ulterior motive?"

Steve didn't respond right away which made YN a little suspicious. "What?"

"Hmm."

"Steve Rogers," she warned as her tone took on a menacing quality she usually only reserved for enemies. "I can tell when you're trying to avoid something. You have the worst poker face of anyone I've ever met."

He slowed the speed down on the machine to a walk and turned to look at her earnestly. "Thor may have explained to me exactly how the tea really works."

Her stomach rolled. "What do you mean?"

"It's an aphrodisiac, yes, but there's more to it," he began. "Apparently, it's supposed to reveal who a person yearns for."

YN hit the emergency stop button on the treadmill and placed her feet on the side rails so she could focus all of her attention on Steve's declaration. She took a minute to give herself time to catch her breath. 

"So, you're telling me the only reason I'm dreaming about Loki is because I yearn for him?"

"Those are Thor's words, not mine," he quickly assured her as he suddenly became nervous.

She stepped down off of the machine and began pacing the room. She was honest enough with herself to admit that he was an attractive man, and that she'd enjoyed kissing him, but yearning implied a whole different level of affection than lust or desire.

"Are you okay?" Steve asked as he watched her try to come to terms with her own emotions.

"He knows, doesn't he?"

"Who? Thor?"

"No," she said as she let out a frustrated breath. "Loki."

Steve turned off the treadmill and walked around to face her. Laying a hand on her shoulder, he waited until she'd met his gaze before he spoke. "Is that such a bad thing?"

"If it were anyone else? Probably not. But this is the God of Mischief we're talking about." She gave Steve a worried look. "He can be dangerous when he wants to be, Steve. And the odds are pretty good that I'm going to end up with a broken heart while he walks away Scot free."

"You're probably right," Steve agreed. "Your odds aren't good, but when has that ever stopped you?"

YN saw the challenge in Steve's eyes and she knew he had a point. She'd been defying the odds her entire life, so why should she stop now? With a smirk firmly fixed upon her face, she made up her mind. She wanted Loki, and she'd be damned if she let anything—even her own fears—get in the way.

She'd left Steve in the gym and headed straight for Loki's room. There were some issues they needed to iron out before things moved any further and she was too keyed up to sleep, so she figured it would be best to tackle it head on while she still had the nerve.

As she approached Loki's door, she saw it slowly begin to open and she stopped in her tracks. When nothing happened for a moment, she hesitantly walked the rest of the way down the hall toward his room.

She paused outside of his door before knocking softly. The door inched open a little more and she saw light spilling into the dimly lit hallway. He must have already been awake, but how had he known she was on her way to see him?

Pushing the door open just wide enough for her to slip through, she saw Loki standing by the window looking out over the river with his hands clasped together behind his back. He was already dressed for the day—or maybe he'd never changed from the night before. Either way, it didn't look as though he'd slept since the coverlet on the bed was crisp and unwrinkled.

His head tilted to the side slightly, but his gaze didn't quite meet hers. "Trouble sleeping, my dear?"

Closing the door behind her, she made her way to his side and looked out over the darkened landscape with him. "You would know, wouldn't you?"

A soft chuckle escaped his lips and she knew without looking at him that his eyes would be twinkling with mirth.

"Are your dreams not pleasant?"

She wasn't sure how to answer his question. On one hand, it was true that her dreams weren't unappealing, but on the other, the information Steve had revealed gave her an insight on her nocturnal musings that she hadn't worked through just yet.

"You and I both know my dreams aren't just dreams," she said finally.

He nodded silently and waited for her to continue.

"What is this to you?"

Her words had him turning to look at her for the first time since she'd entered the room. "What do you mean?"

Gesturing between the two of them, she rephrased her question. "This. . .this attraction—if you will. I'm still trying to figure out what it means to you, but you obviously know my feelings on the matter." She narrowed her eyes at him as her mouth formed a hard line. "Which would have been nice to know before our date."

He tried to control his expression, but the smirk appeared of its own accord. "Now, where would the fun be in that?"

"So, this is all just fun and games to you?" Even if she'd tried, she wasn't sure she would've been able to keep the hurt out of her voice.

He reached out and cupped her jaw. "YN. I thought I made that clear when I revealed my true form to you."

The sincerity in his voice was almost her undoing, but she held it together long enough to finally put to words the one thing that had been bothering her since it had all began. "That's just it." She sighed and closed her eyes—too overcome with emotion to meet his gaze any longer. "You're immortal and I'm just. . ."

"A plaything?" he finished for her. "An amusing way to pass the infinite amount of time I've been afforded due to the circumstances of my birth?"

Her silence was his answer.

"Look at me," he demanded.

Pulling forth every ounce of stubborn will she possessed, she did as he'd instructed. What she found when she looked into his eyes had her breath catching in her throat. She'd prepared herself for his usual smirk, but that wasn't what she was seeing at the moment. His eyes were full of emotion and his lips were cast in a frown.

"I've lived for longer than any Midgardian could ever dream of, but I've been alone my entire life," he began.

"But Thor. . ."

Loki shook his head and dropped his hand from her cheek. "Thor—just like our father—was always out of my reach."

"Your mother?"

A smile spread across his face as the image of his mother's face came into his mind. "Frigga was the only bright spot in my life, but I never truly loved her. How could I? She'd been forced to lie to me my entire life. How can you love someone that lied to you every single day for hundreds of years?" His expression grew somber as he reached for both of her hands. "You've seen me for who I am—the good and the bad—and you've yet to run off screaming." He sighed. "You're the most challenging woman I've ever met. . ."

"Challenging?" she interrupted as her eyes narrowed challengingly.

He rolled his eyes. "It sounds better than stubborn." When she chuckled instead of growing angry at his remark, he kept going. "I shouldn't have given you the tea. . ."

"Then why did you?" she asked as she cut him off yet again.

"Will you stop interrupting me, woman?"

She made a show of pressing her lips together as she gave him a mischievous look.

He narrowed his eyes—sure that she would inevitably give in to uncontrollable urge to know everything at once. "There's something between us, and we've both known it since the day on the island." He shrugged one shoulder and gave her a wink. "I just wanted to move things along a little faster. Can you blame me?"

She hated that she understood his reasoning. And she hated it even more that she was glad he'd done it. She felt as though she'd been granted access to a part of him that not even his own brother had been allowed to see, and that thought filled her with joy.

Twisting her hands within his, she intertwined their fingers. "I should still be angry with you."

"But you're not?" he asked hopefully.

Leaning in, she brushed her lips across his. "Not one damn bit."

He brought her hands to rest on his shoulders so he could frame her face with his. Deepening the kiss, he began to melt into her. With every breath he took, he lost himself a little more in her, but he couldn't find it within himself to care. In all the years he'd lived, he'd never met a woman that had ensnared him so completely, and while it had taken him hundreds of years to find her he knew it had been worth the wait.

"Laura and I can't thank you enough, YN," Clint said as he kissed YN's cheek and waved goodbye to his kids sitting in front of the TV playing video games and completely ignoring him.

"Yeah," YN said as she looked over her shoulder at the older two Barton children. "I'll make them quit long enough to eat dinner and then go to bed at a decent hour."

Clint signed and bent down to pick up his youngest, Nathaniel. "You're going to miss me, though. Aren't ya buddy?"

Nate wrapped his still-chubby arms around his father's neck and gave him a loud, smacking kiss on the mouth. "I love you, daddy."

Clint put Nate down and ruffled his sandy blonde hair before checking his watch. "Okay, gotta go. Laura's downstairs in the car waiting for me." He looked back up at YN and held his hands together as though he were praying. "Thank you again."

"It's nothing," she said as she shooed him away.

When it was just her and the kids, she crouched down to Nate's level so she could look him in the eye. "So, your brother and sister have been eaten by the X-box. What would you like to do?"

"LEGOs," he exclaimed excitedly.

YN nodded her head. "LEGOs it is."

She set up the tiny bricks at the dining room table and positioned herself so she could keep an eye on the older two and still be able to play with Nate. It had been awhile since she'd been a kid playing video games, but she could remember a few bloody lips after some viscous Mortal Kombat battles.

When Nate had dumped all the bricks onto the table, she'd grimaced, but went along with it. It wasn't until she'd dug out one of the little figurines that she realized that Clint had bought his kids all of the Avenger's sets. Sorting through the pieces, she began to try to assemble a Quinjet, and she even found enough to make a Jeep for Steve and a motorcycle for Nat. When she found her own little figurine she'd sat in shock for a good minute or two wondering how she'd missed the fact that she had her own LEGO character.

Once she'd gotten some dinner in them and let them play for a few more hours, it had been time for bed. Clint and Laura had concert tickets, so it would be well after midnight before they made it back to the Tower. They'd decided it would be easier to have everyone crash there instead of trying to make it back to the farm at that late of an hour.

"Would you tell me a bedtime story?" Nate asked as she was tucking him in.

Cooper and Lila were already in their rooms, but YN knew they weren't anywhere near ready to sleep. She figured telling Nate a story would give the older kids time to settle down and get ready for bed. 

"Okay," she said. "What kind of story do you want?"

"Magic," he said with childlike wonder and burrowed deeper in the covers.

She sighed as she leaned back against the headboard and began running her fingers through his soft, sandy locks. "I can do that.

"Once upon a time there was a princess, but she wasn't an ordinary princess—she was a warrior princess. . ."

"What was the princess' name?" Nate interrupted.

"Hmm." YN thought for a moment. "Let's call her YN."

"But that's your name," he giggled.

She reached over and began tickling him. "What? I can't be a warrior princess?"

He begged for mercy and agreed that she was the most beautiful princess in the world, so she continued her story.

"Okay, now where was I? Oh, yeah, the warrior princess. Now the princess had a lot of friends who always looked out for her, but one of her friends had a brother that was an evil wizard."

"How evil was he?"

YN paused for a moment as an idea struck her. "They called him the God of Mischief."

Nate's eyes grew large. "What did he do to get that name?"

"Well," YN whispered as her eyes darted around the room to make sure they were alone. She leaned down close to his ear. "I've heard a story that when he was a little boy like you, he turned himself into a snake and tricked his brother into picking him up. When his brother had the snake in his hands. . ." She paused for dramatic effect before loudly exclaiming, "The God of Mischief turned back into himself and stabbed his brother."

Nate's hand quickly covered his mouth to muffle his cry of surprise. "Was the brother alright?"

YN nodded her head. "Oh, yes. The brother is one of the strongest of the princess' friends and a little stab wound wouldn't slow him down.

"Now back to the story. So, the evil warlock decided to play a trick on the princess."

"What did he do?"

YN's face grew serious. "He tricked her into drinking a special tea that would make her have life-like dreams."

"What did she dream about?"

"She dreamed about the evil warlock," YN answered gravely. "And the princess was very upset about that. She marched right down to the warlock's room and began yelling at him. He was very sorry for the trick he'd played on her and asked for her forgiveness."

"Did she forgive him?" Nate asked with a wary look on his face.

"She did," YN said with a nod. "The trick hadn't really hurt anyone, and the warlock's brother had asked the princess to try to be nice to his brother."

"But he's an evil warlock," Nate argued with a scowl.

"Ah, but that's where the story starts to get interesting. See, the warlock played mean tricks on people, but he wasn't really evil. Another—more powerful—warlock had put him under a spell and made him do horrible things to people. When our warlock was under the spell, he hurt some of the princess' friends, so they didn't like him very much.

"The warlock's brother discovered that this more powerful warlock was to blame for it all and decided that his brother deserved a second chance."

"But he played a trick on the princess," Nate said as his brow furrowed in confusion.

"We have to remember that the warlock is called the God of Mischief for a reason. He likes his tricks, but he's not really evil."

"So, what happened after the princess forgave the warlock?"

YN's face spread into a wide grin. "You'll never guess."

"Tell me," Nate begged with a pleading look on his face.

"Okay, but are you sure you're ready for this?"

Nate nodded his head frantically, desperate for the end of the story.

"Well, once the princess realized that the warlock wasn't as evil as she'd originally thought. . ." She paused again and waited for the sharp intake of breath from the little boy beside her before she finished her thought. "She fell in love with him."

Nate snarled his nose up. "Eww. Did they kiss?"

"They did," YN said with a grimace.

"Did they live happily ever after?"

YN took a deep breath and let it out in a huff. "You know, I'm not sure. You see, this story isn't over yet, but the princess is hoping for a happy ending."

"You're really good at telling stories, YN," Nate said around a yawn.

"And you're a good listener," she told him as she leaned over and gave him a kiss on the forehead. "You ready for bed now?"

"Mmhm," Nate mumbled as he burrowed a little deeper and his eyes began to close in sleep.

YN rose from the bed and turned out one of the lights. Leaving a lamp by the door on in case he woke up before his parents returned, she slipped from the room and into the hallway.

Before she could turn to go to her own room, a pair of hands wrapped around her waist and pulled her back against a solid wall of muscle. She knew without turning around who'd grabbed her, but she wasn't the least bit upset.

"That was an interesting story," he murmured into her ear. "Sounded a bit familiar, though."

She twisted in his arms and wrapped hers around his neck. "How much of it did you hear?"

"The whole thing," he said as he leaned in and gently brushed his lips across hers. 

Not satisfied with the innocent kiss, she adjusted the angle of her head and began to deepen it. She felt his fingers dig into her hips and she knew her actions had had the desired effect. They'd yet to take their relationship past steamy, stolen kisses and she was beginning to grow impatient with the slow, languid pace they'd set. 

She wanted to drag him back to her room and finally find out how those hands would feel on her bare skin, but there were children in the Tower—children she was responsible for. Clint had begrudgingly forgiven Loki for his role in the Battle of New York, but YN wasn't sure he was quite ready to accept him as one of the team yet. It was probably best if Clint didn't find Loki in her room when he and Laura returned from their concert.

Reluctantly, she pulled away and put some distance between them. "As much as I'd love to continue this somewhere more private. . ."

"You're responsible for Barton's children," Loki finished for her with an understanding nod. "I would expect nothing less from you. . .Princess."

She rolled her eyes and gave him a playful shove. "I'm going to sleep—kids are exhausting."

"Let's have dinner tomorrow night," he suggested to her retreating back. "Somewhere with candles and linen napkins."

Seeing the seduction for what it was, she was flattered that he'd go to all the trouble. Surely he knew she was one step away from falling into his bed and all she needed was a gentle push.

"Tomorrow night, then," she said with a knowing smile as she turned and headed for her room again.

"Does the princess really love the warlock?"

She was halfway to her room when she heard his softly spoken question. Drawing up short, she wasn't sure how to answer him. On one hand, she'd embellished the story for Nate's benefit, but on the other, it was her own personal story. So that begged the question—did she want to fall in love with Loki?

Turning around, she met his gaze in the darkened hallway. The recessed lighting glimmered across his eyes, and she knew it wasn't a trick of the light when she saw his glowing red instead of green. He was deliberately showing her his true self so she'd be honest with him, and her heart melted at the naked vulnerability he only allowed in her presence.

"That depends on whether or not the warlock loves the princess in return," she answered.

He nodded and melted into the shadows. She hadn't given him a straight answer, but he'd seemed to be content with her conditions. They were both treading new ground and neither one of them was used to not knowing where to step next. Their relationship had been fraught with missteps so far, but YN was fairly sure they were headed in the same direction.

As she lie in her bed and closed her eyes, she hoped that he would come and visit her in her dreams. She'd gotten to the point that she welcomed the steamy scenes her subconscious created, and she was anxious to see if reality would live up to the fantasy. Knowing Loki, she had a feeling her fantasies wouldn't even remotely compare to what it would feel like to actually be in his arms. Hopefully by this time tomorrow, she'd know once and for all.

YN couldn't get the memory of the kiss she'd shared with Loki out of her mind the entire day that followed their passionate embrace in the hallway. Like she'd hoped, she'd dreamt of him that night, and by the time she had awoken, she was fully embracing the fact that she did indeed yearn for him. And from the looks he shot her way that next day, she was pretty sure the feeling was mutual.

He'd shown up at her door dressed all in black again. She'd always loved a man in black, but there was something about the way he wore a suit that spoke to her on a primal level. She'd gone with a simple black dress with a plunging neckline and no back. Since the weather was warm, she opted for a pair of heeled sandals that gave her curves a little extra definition.

The smile of approval on his face was wicked, and she felt herself growing warm under his intense scrutiny. She wanted to grab the lapels of his jacket and pull him into her room the instant his hungry eyes met hers again, but she decided to let the seduction play out the way he'd planned. She had no doubts that by the end of the evening, she'd be thoroughly satisfied in every aspect.

They'd taken one of the communal cars in the garage to the restaurant just outside of the city along the river. She'd been surprised that he'd chosen one so far away from Manhattan, but when he led her inside, all of her concerns melted away. It was dimly lit with small, fat candles flickering in the middle of each tiny table. As promised, they were covered in a thick white linen tablecloth with matching napkins containing the silverware. The menu ran toward the traditional with a variety of options for any taste.

Their waiter had immediately brought out a bottle of the house wine, but Loki politely declined and ordered a bottle of something old and French. While they waited for the waiter to return, they glanced over the menu to make their choices. She had a feeling she'd need her energy later on, so she went with the steak and baked potato, with a side salad as her appetizer—and Loki opted for the same.

Both the wine and the food were superb, and she was surprised at easily the conversation between them flowed. It had been like that the first time they'd gone out to eat, but it never failed to amaze her that they could talk about anything without any awkward silences. He'd been especially interested in her time with S.H.I.E.L.D. before she joined the Avengers, and throughout the meal they shared stories of past battles and missions that had been especially harrowing. She was so used to seeing him as the villain of the story that it came as a shock to learn that he and Thor had fought side by side for centuries.

"Why did you turn on your brother?" she asked after he'd recounted a story in which he and Thor had almost lost.

He shrugged and gave her a smile. "I wanted to be king, and I didn't think Thor possessed the fortitude for the position. He was impulsive and blood-thirsty." He paused and thought for a moment. "He's grown so much since his time on Midgard—he's finally the king that Asgard deserves."

She narrowed her eyes at him as she took a sip of her wine. "You haven't told him that, though—have you?"

He threw his head back and laughed. "Absolutely not. He'd assumed I was up to something and never believe me."

"But you told me?"

His gaze grew serious. "You asked me to let you in."

For a moment she was speechless. She hadn't forgotten her request, but she was still awed by the fact that he'd taken it so seriously. "I think you should tell him. . .eventually."

"Eventually," he repeated with a sigh. "I'd like to earn his trust again, but I fear I never will. Too much blood has been shed for us to ever go back to the way things were before."

"But that's the beauty of second chances."

"You're a true believer then? In second chances, that is."

She nodded. "Absolutely. No one is perfect, but if someone is willing to admit that they were wrong, then I believe they deserve another chance."

"Just one?" he asked with a wary look in his eye.

"Trust isn't a revolving door. People make mistakes, but if you truly care about someone, you need to be willing to overlook their faults and help them be the best version of themselves. It doesn't happen overnight, and there are bound to be relapses every so often, but I believe deep down everyone wants to be a good person."

"And you think I'm a good person?"

"You've lived for hundreds of years, Loki," she began as she clasped her hands together and leaned forward on her elbows. "And it's only been in the past few that you've ventured down a darker path. . ."

"Don't forget I once stabbed by brother by pretending to be a snake when we were eight years old."

The laughter that bubbled up within her couldn't be contained. "You were a child. We all do stupid things when we're kids." She got a hold of herself and continued. "You made a few bad choices as an adult that put you on Thanos' radar, but ultimately he was to blame for the worst of your offenses."

"You're so willing to dismiss everything I did on Earth like I had no choice in the matter." He shook his head and gave her a thoughtful look. "You're not the woman I thought you were going to be."

"That's a good thing, right?" she asked with a smirk.

His voice was laced with as much sincerity as he could muster. "It's amazing. Your steadfast belief that I can be more than the monster everyone assumes me to be has helped me to see this world in a completely different light. I thought your people would never see beyond my past actions, but I was wrong."

"I saw what the Mind Stone did to Clint," she reminded him. "He's one of the best men I know, and he couldn't fight the effects of an Infinity Stone. No one holds him responsible for his actions, so why would you be any different?"

"I'm a god."

She gave him a chastising look. "You've got some superpowers, but you're not immortal."

"Ouch."

With a laugh she swatted at his hand, but he grabbed it and laced his fingers with hers. The teasing look in his eyes died in an instant and was replaced with one that had warmth spreading throughout her entire body.

"Loki."

"I understand your wariness. I won't push you if you. . ."

"Let's get out of here," she interrupted as she steadily gazed into his eyes.

Without a word, he signaled the waiter and paid the check. He offered her his arm as he helped her rise and walk out of the restaurant. By the time they were at the car, the anticipation of what was to come had her heart racing. She was completely sure of her choice, and she knew her nerves were simply a natural response to her heightened emotions, but it still made her a bit dizzy as she slid into the passenger seat of the car.

When he started out of the lot, he turned away from the city and began driving deeper into the country. She turned to him with a questioning look in her eye.

"I might have taken the liberty of booking us a room at a lovely inn a few miles from here," he explained with a shy smile.

A sultry grin spread across her face. She hadn't relished the idea of the team seeing her doing the walk of shame in the morning—not that she would be the least bit ashamed of anything she did with Loki—but it was nice to know that they'd have a bit of privacy before they announced their relationship to the whole team.

The inn was indeed lovely, but YN wasn't the least bit interested in the décor. As soon as Loki had checked in and received the key, they'd headed straight to their room. She could feel her anticipation start to boil over as he opened the door and ushered her in.

Before the door had closed completely, they were in one another's arms. His lips captured hers in a passionate kiss that held the promise of so much more to come. Her arms wrapped around his neck as she deepened the kiss, and she relished in the way his body molded itself to hers as she pulled him as close to her as she could.

When his mouth left hers to trail down the sensitive skin of her neck, she felt her knees begin to buckle. Thankfully, his hands were firmly gripping her hips so there was no chance of her melting to the floor in a puddle of lust. With ease, he lifted her so she could wrap her legs around his waist as he walked them to the bed.

Her dress had ridden up, exposing her thighs and he'd taken full advantage of the newly bared skin. His long, nimble fingers pressed into the tender flesh as his thumbs began kneading circles which slowly began to drive her crazy.

He kneeled on the bed and began inching his way toward the center before he carefully lowered her back against the pillows. With her comfortably beneath him, his mouth left the hollow of her neck so that he could look into her eyes.

"If you want to stop, now is the time. . ."

"Will you shut up and kiss me again," she said as wrapped a hand around the back of his neck and pulled him back to her.

Now that she lie beneath him, his hands were free to roam her entire body. She was ready to skip straight to the main act, but he had other plans. As he slowly undressed them both, he took his time mapping each newly uncovered area of her body with both his hands and his mouth. At first she was hesitant to do the same, but her desire to know him as intimately as she possible could outweighed her nervousness.

Their lovemaking was just as sensual as her subconscious had imagined it to be, but it was also tinged with an air of lightheartedness. With each new caress and kiss, they tried to elicit a reaction from the other. Every moan of pleasure was carefully cataloged and before long, they'd inadvertently created a game of it. Somehow they both realized what had happened at the same moment, and the passion of the moment was lost as they both began laughing uncontrollably.

"This isn't supposed to be funny," he told her as he lightly ran a finger down the length of her arm.

"But it's supposed to be fun," she reminded him as she leaned up and nipped at his lips.

He shook his head as his brow furrowed. "You never cease to amaze me."

"I'm still waiting for you to amaze me," she quipped as she shrugged and made a show of glancing down at his naked body.

"You little minx."

She let out a peel of laughter as he began tickling her. By the time he let up, her sides were aching from laughing so hard. When she finally wiped the tears from her eyes, she found that the mood had shifted again. Gone was the mirthful twinkle in his eye, and in its place was raw, naked desire. Her heart began racing as passion yet again flooded her system.

As their bodies began moving together in tandem, she struggled to keep her emotions in check. She'd never experienced lovemaking this intense before in her life, and she found it difficult to hold herself together.

"Don't fight it," he whispered into her ear.

Her eyes met his and she saw with satisfaction that he was just as close to falling apart as she was. But she wasn't ready to let go just yet—there was one last thing she needed from him.

"The glamour," she whispered back.

She knew the instant that he understood her request, and for a moment she'd thought she'd gone too far. But he'd already told her he wanted to let her in, so she wasn't shocked when he heeded her request and let the glamour fade. As she stared into his eyes—burning bright red with desire for her—she finally let herself fall over the edge and by doing so, took him with her. 

They lie spent in one another's arms for a few moments as they struggled to catch their breath. Her chest was heaving with the effort of drawing oxygen into her starving lungs, but it didn't stop the smile of satisfaction from spreading across her face.

As she lie half on top of him, she began to slowly trace the thin blue lines that covered his entire torso. "You're beautiful."

"When you say it, I can almost believe it."

"Why would I lie to you?" she asked as she propped herself up on an elbow so she could meet his gaze. "I've already seduced you, so there's no point in feeding your ego anymore."

"Is that what just happened here?" he asked with a chuckle.

"Oh," she cooed as she patted his cheek. "Did you think you were the one seducing me?"

His gaze narrowed. "I seem to recall a cup of tea. . ."

She reached over and grabbed a pillow and smacked him in the face. He, in turn, grabbed the one from behind his head and swatted at her. She leaned back just in time to miss the blow and came back with another one of her own.

He grabbed her by the waist and twisted her so that she lie beneath him again. "Fine. I may have started this, but you most definitely ended it. Happy now?"

Wrapping her limbs around him, she grinned in delight. "Yes, but you don't think this is over, do you?"

"Oh, not at all," he said with a smirk. "This is just the beginning, my dear."

The morning sun was beginning to shine through the sheer curtains covering the window, but YN wasn't ready to leave the warm cocoon of Loki's arms. When she thought about the night they'd just spent together, a wave of heat enveloped her body. It wasn't just desire, though. There was a vulnerability to him that she'd never imagined before, and it warmed her heart to know that he trusted her enough to show her that side of himself.

She rolled over slightly and was shocked to find him still asleep. She'd been so sure that he'd be awake and quietly watching her, so she reveled in the opportunity to see what he looked like without any walls between them. His glamour was gone—at her request—and she loved the shade of blue that tinted his skin with the raised patterns of lines that crisscrossed his entire body. She'd yet to get enough of tracing them, and her wandering hands had been stilled many times the previous night as she'd inadvertently roused his desire time and time again.

As she remembered each kiss and caress, she could feel her body start to awaken again. Leaning over, she lightly brushed her lips across his.

"Good morning," he whispered against her mouth before deepening the kiss.

She wanted to respond in kind, but his urgency to eke out a few moments of pleasure before they had to return to the real world took precedence and she was quickly swept away by her own desire. It amazed her how quickly they'd fallen in sync with one another, and within just a few minutes he had her tumbling over the edge for the first time that morning.

When he'd finally found his own release, she'd been almost grateful. Her body had been pushed to its limits, and while she'd enjoyed every moment of pleasure she'd found in his arms, she wasn't sure she'd be able to walk out of the inn of her own volition if he'd continued his seductive torture.

"That was a better wake-up call than any cup of coffee I've ever had," she teased once she'd regained the ability to breathe normally.

"Well, in that case," he whispered huskily into her ear, "I'll just have to make sure to sneak into your room every morning from now on."

She instantly tensed up as she turned to look at him. "What?"

Recognizing the shift in mood, he pulled back and gave her a wary look. "Did I say something wrong?"

"Uh, yeah." She gave him a dumbfounded look as she shook her head. "Why in the hell are you going to be sneaking into my room?"

"I beg your pardon," he said as he rose from the bed and defiantly returned his glamour. "I overstepped."

She quickly jumped from the bed and rushed around to stop him before he could head into the bathroom. Shaking her head, she took a deep breath to give herself a moment to find the right words.

"That came out wrong," she told him as she stared into his eyes. "I only meant that there's no reason for you to be sneaking into my room—you're welcome any time you like."

He regarded her warily. "And what of your friends?"

Reaching out, she framed his face with her hands and leaned in to place a tender kiss on his lips. "If they can't be happy for me, then screw them."

"I'd rather you didn't," he teased.

She couldn't help the chuckle that rose up from within her. The fact that he was teasing her again let her know that he'd forgiven her for the misunderstanding. "You've got a point, though."

"Do I, though?" he asked with a wicked smile. "Captain Rogers has such a nice ass. . ."

"Not what I meant," she interrupted with another laugh. "Although, I'll be the first to agree with you there." She saw a hint of something in his eyes, and for a moment she thought it might be jealousy. "I was trying to say that we really need to talk about where our relationship goes from here."

"We have a relationship?"

"Do Asgardians not have relationships?"

He gave her a discerning look. "I'm not Asgardian."

"Yes, you are," she argued. "Odin and Frigga raised you as their own. Thor adores you as only a brother can. You may have been born to a Frost Giant, but they were never your family."

She refused to hear anymore arguments from him, and instead grabbed them both a robe from the hooks in the bathroom before calling down to the front desk and ordering their breakfast to be delivered. While they waited, she insisted they straighten up the sheets so it didn't look as though they'd spent the entire night engaged in lascivious acts. Loki had protested that they had indeed done just that, but in the end, he'd relented and helped her make the bed.

Once they were seated at the small table by the window with their breakfast, YN broached the topic of their relationship again. "So, we need to discuss where we go from here."

"I'd prefer we head back to bed."

She rolled her eyes. 

"Okay, fine," he said as he snagged a slice of toast from her plate and thoughtfully chewed it. "I don't want to cause any untoward animosity between you and your friends."

"It's not going to be a problem," she assured him. "Thor and Steve don't seem to care, so if they're not going to object, then there's no reason why anyone else should."

He gave her a confused look. "Then what do you want to discuss?"

For the first time since she'd entered the room, she felt a wave of bashfulness come over her. "I want to talk about us." Shrugging slightly she called on her reserves of bravado and powered on. "I need to know that I'm not another one of your conquests. I have feelings for you, and I don't want to get hurt."

He reached across the table and grabbed her hands. His amused grin faded in an instant as a look of determination settled over his face. "I would never hurt you."

"You can't promise that," she argued. 

"You're right," he conceded with a sigh. "How about this? I will never intentionally cause you harm."

She nodded. "We have to be willing to talk to each other, you know." She gestured toward the bed. "Take this morning for instance. You misunderstood something I said and got angry before you let me explain."

Her words were like a punch to the gut. How often had he done that very thing? Thor was always complaining that Loki wouldn't let him explain before going into a rage and doing something rash.

"I can't promise that you won't make me angry. . ."

She laughed as she interrupted him. "Oh, I'm going to make you angry—you can be sure of that."

A smile lifted the corners of his lips. "All great loves are full of passion and passion takes on many forms." He inhaled deeply and returned to his original train of thought. "But as I was saying, I'll do my best to not jump to conclusions without speaking to you first."

"That's reasonable," she said absentmindedly since she was still hung up on the part where he'd been talking about great loves. Did he see their relationship heading in that direction? She was painfully aware of the fact that she yearned for him, but was it love? Was that even a possibility for them?

"Is there anything else?"

She forced herself out of her own head and focused on their conversation again. There was one more topic that was weighing heavily on her heart and she forced herself to voice it aloud. "No more lies."

"When have I ever lied to you?" he asked with genuine confusion.

Her eyebrow rose in haughty disbelief. "I seem to recall a certain cup of tea you offered me under the pretense that it would help me sleep."

At once, his wicked smile returned as he sat back in satisfaction. "That wasn't a lie, per se—more of an omission."

"A lie by omission is still a lie."

He leaned forward and gave her a sultry look. "It did help you sleep, though. Didn't it?"

She felt heat begin to spread throughout her body, but she willed it back down. "That's not the point."

Holding out his hands in a sign of defeat, he gave her a slight nod. "You're right, of course. No more lies." 

YN finished her breakfast and thought about their conversation. She was under no illusions that a relationship with Loki was going to be easy, but it would definitely be an adventure. Now that they'd had a chance to talk about what they both wanted and needed from one another, it gave her a sense of peace about moving forward. She'd downplayed her friends' reactions to their relationship, but as long as she and Loki were on the same page, they'd be able to weather the storm.

YN hadn't wanted the leave the safe cocoon of the bed and breakfast, but she knew the real world had to be dealt with at some point. She reasoned that it would be easier to get it done and over with sooner rather than later, and then she wouldn't have to worry about it any longer.

"We'll tell everyone as soon as we get back," she told him as they headed back to the Compound.

"Do you think it's wise?"

She gave him a sultry look. "They're going to figure it out when I come rolling in doing the walk of shame."

His brow furrowed. "I beg your pardon."

Laughing, she tried to explain. "It's a joke. It just means that you spent the night out having fun with someone and have to go home in the same clothes you were wearing the night before."

"Walk of Shame," Loki said, trying the phrase out. He looked down at his wrinkled clothes. "It's an apt description for this suit."

She waved a hand at his attire. "Can't you just conjure up a glamour and get rid of the wrinkles?"

He gave her an appraising look before a sheen of gold enveloped them both. She looked down to see she was still wearing the same clothes, but they looked fresh from the dry cleaners.

"You're worth keeping around just for this," she teased.

He reached over and took her hand. "Is that the only reason?"

Heat speared through her and she was glad they were currently in a vehicle so she wouldn't be tempted to show him some of the many other reasons why she wasn't letting him go any time soon. She glanced over at him and gave him a wink before turning back to the road in front of them.

When they walked into the common room, she wasn't surprised to see almost everyone up and milling around the coffee pot. The evil forces of the world had been quiet as of late, so they'd gotten into a routine that mostly consisted of eating and training. The more they trained, the more they ate, so it was almost a given to find them all congregated near the food at any given time.

Steve was the first to notice their arrival and when he saw their intertwined fingers, he gave her a broad smile. "You two have fun last night?"

YN felt heat rise to her cheeks, but she kept her expression neutral. "We did actually."

Tony looked confused for a moment. "Wait a sec. Are you just now getting home?" He looked at Loki and the furrow between his brow grew deeper. "And why are you blue?"

Nat grabbed a banana and threw it at him. "Eat that so you don't say something you'll regret later." She turned to YN and Loki with a smile. "Blue looks good on you—contrasts nicely with the red eyes."

"Thank you?" Loki said, making his statement sound like a question since he wasn't sure the assassin had actually paid him a compliment.

Sam sat back in his chair and used his spoon to point at them. "Is this for real?"

YN took a deep breath and glanced over at Loki before she answered. "Yes, Sam, it's for real. Loki and I. . ."

"Make absolutely no sense whatsoever," Tony butted in before YN could finish.

"I told you to eat the damn banana," Nat hissed at him, but Tony ignored her and kept going.

"Has he messed with your mind?" Tony asked as he sauntered over and glared at them accusingly. "Vis has the Mind Stone, so I know he didn't use that, but there has to be a logical explanation." He zeroed in on YN. "You remember New York, right? Huge portal above the city? Hundreds of aliens pouring through to take over the world? I didn't just imagine that, did I?"

"Tony. . ." YN began, but Tony cut her off.

"Cause I remember it like it was yesterday." He pointed a finger at Loki. "And he was the one behind the whole thing."

"And that's where you're wrong, Stark," Thor said as he walked into the room.

With his brother by his side again, Loki felt a surge of confidence. "I'm not the same man I was then." He gave Tony a hard look. "Can you say the same?" He didn't wait for an answer as he lifted a hand and stared down at the blue-tinged flesh he so often hid from the world. He looked back up and met the gaze of everyone in the room. "I've been led to believe that you people set stock by second chances. Correct me if I'm wrong, but some of you have needed more than one in your short little lives."

"Loki," YN warned, feeling like he was digging himself a hole he might not be able to crawl out of later.

He turned to her and held up a hand. "No, it's fine." He looked back at the group. "I've made mistakes—as have you all. I just want what everyone else here has been afforded. I've come here in peace only asking for a second chance. Is that really too much to ask?"

The entire room was speechless for a moment as they all mentally reviewed the mistakes they'd made over the years. Some of them had hidden themselves away from their past sins, but it seemed as though Loki was showing more courage than some of them had whenever their mistakes had been called to light. He wasn't hiding behind his glamours, but instead letting them all see him for who he truly was. Didn't they owe it to him to give him what they'd all been granted at some point over the years?"

Thor walked the rest of the way into the room and made his way over to YN and Loki. Forcing himself between the couple he wrapped an arm around each of them and gave them both a squeeze. "Loki is right. We've all made mistakes, but what matters is that we've owned up to them. Loki deserves a chance to prove himself like we all did."

"Just like that, we're supposed to be cool ?" Sam asked as his face scrunched up in disbelief.

Tony gave Steve a long look before he pointed to Sam. "You're going to make me agree with Wilson?"

"Tony," Steve sighed.

"No, no," Tony said as he threw up his hands. "I'm outnumbered. That's nothing new."

"Stark, you're overreacting," Thor interjected.

"He's entitled to his own opinions," YN said as disappointment clouded her features.

"His opinions are wrong." Thor shook his head and stepped away from his brother to move closer to his friends. "Loki and I aren't so different."

Nat's eyebrows shot up. "Really? 'Cause I can name at least half a dozen ways in which that statement is false."

Thor rolled his eyes. "I mean, yes, we're different. I'm of Asgard and he's of Jötunheim. I am the God of Thunder and he's the God of Mischief. I've saved hundreds of lives and he's taken hundrends. . ."

"The point, brother," Loki prodded with an uneasy smile.

"Right, right," Thor said with a laugh. "The point is—we were both raised to be kings. Odin taught us both what it is to rule." He shook his head and sighed. "Our father may not have been the most loving, or the most kind, but he raised us both to be the men we are today."

He walked back over to Loki and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Loki's actions in New York were not of his own doing." He looked over at Tony. "We all know that Thanos was the one responsible for that—just like with Barton."

"How many times has he betrayed you?" Nat asked, earning her a glare from Thor. She held up her hands and took a step backwards. "Just playing Devil's Advocate here."

"The past no longer matters," Thor said as he glanced at Loki and gave him a nod. "When it mattered most, Loki stood up for what was right and he paid for that with his life. Would none of you have done the same?

"Loki is famous for his betrayals, but his final one was not directed toward me, but to Thanos." Thor looked into Loki's eyes and the two brothers shared a look that spoke more than words ever could. "He could've spared himself, but he chose to sacrifice himself to save the lives of others." He looked back at his friends. "It's no less than any of us have done, so the way I see it—he's a hero."

"Thank you, brother," Loki said as he tried not to let his emotions get the better of him and embarrass him in front of YN's friends.

"Okay, that's enough for today," YN announced as she squeezed Loki's hand and started heading toward her room. At the last moment, she paused and turned back one last time. "I don't really care if you approve or not, but I'd truly appreciate it if you kept your negative opinions to yourself."

YN turned on her heel and strode out of the room with Loki by her side. She knew she was making a bold move by basically announcing that she was choosing Loki over her friends, but she knew Thor was right. Loki wasn't the man he'd been when Thanos had been pulling his strings. The man she'd gotten to know over the past few months was more like Thor than he'd ever admit, and that was the man she'd started to fall in love with.

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_Author's Note: Thank you for reading Day 244 of my writing challenge. I hope you enjoyed it! I think we can all agree that Thor and Loki are polar opposites, but I believe they do have a lot in common. If you take a closer look at the first Thor and Avengers, those two were doing the exact same thing. They both invaded a planet and tried to wipe out the current occupants so they could take over. The difference was that we were told the Jötunheims were monsters, and the species Loki was trying to eradicate was **us**. The other difference is that Thor was in his right mind and Loki was being controlled by Thanos. . .but an argument could be made that Loki prodded Thor into action. It's all just a matter of perspective. . .but it seems as though the Reader has made her point very clear. Do you think the team will accept Loki, or do you think they'll ostracize them both? I look forward to your comments, and if you enjoyed this story, please consider voting!_

"That could've gone better," YN said as she closed the door behind her and went to lie down on her bed.

Loki followed her and sat on the edge as he looked down at her. "Did you expect anything less? Stark isn't wrong. . ."

"Yes he is," YN interrupted as she sat up and grasped Loki's arm. "Thor made his point extremely well and Tony needs to start paying attention." She let out an indignant huff. "He acts like he's never screwed up before. Pompous ass."

With a chuckle, Loki leaned over and kissed her. "You're not wrong about that."

A knock sounded at the door and the two of them shared a look before YN called out for whomever was on the other side to enter.

Thor peeked his head in the room with his hand covering his eyes. "Is it safe to look?"

Loki grabbed a pillow and threw it at his brother's face. "Get in here, you idiot."

With a gusty laugh, Thor tossed the pillow back at Loki before grabbing YN's desk chair and flipping it around backwards so he could straddle it. "I think that went well, don't you?"

YN's expression turned incredulous. "Were you in the same room that I was? 'Cause that most certainly did not go well."

"Sure it did," Thor argued. "Stark made his objections known, but everyone else seemed to be fine with your. . ." He gestured vaguely between the two of them in lieu of finishing his thought.

"Rogers and Romanoff did seem to be supportive," Loki reminded her. "Wilson may still be on the fence, but I'm sure Rogers will get him to see reason. In fact, I have a feeling the good Captain will make everyone see reason before too long."

A wide grin spread across Thor's face. "It's good to see you like this, brother."

"Like what?"

"Like this," Thor said as he extended his hand toward Loki for emphasis. "Optimistic and reasonable."

Loki's face fell. "Please never use those words to describe me again."

YN snorted as she tried to hold back a laugh which earned her a glare from Loki.

"Father would be proud," Thor said solemnly.

"Odin could never be proud of me," Loki argued.

"You're wrong. He told us as much right before he died. Do you not remember?"

_"I love you, my sons."_

Loki couldn't forget Odin's last words even if he tried. Odin may not have actually said the words aloud, but by calling him his son, he'd made it clear that he thought of him and Thor as equals. There was no doubt that he was proud of Thor, so, by extension, he must have been proud of Loki as well.

"I remember," Loki said softly.

"Our parents only wished for us to be our best," Thor reminded him. "They raised us to be great men—great kings." He shook his head as he began to laugh. "We've failed them so many times, but I think we're finally starting to get things right. Don't you agree, brother?"

Loki smiled. "There's a possibility that you may be correct."

Thor stood and walked over to clap his brother on the back. "I'm always right." He turned to YN. "You're good for him, but be warned—he's a lot to handle, even on a good day."

YN gave Thor a lopsided grin. "I've already figured that out."

"I wish you both the best," Thor said as he turned to leave the room. "And don't worry about our friends. They'll come around eventually."

Loki waited until Thor had shut the door behind him before turning back to YN. "Well, this has been an interesting morning."

YN rolled her eyes and let out a sardonic laugh. "Right? I'm absolutely exhausted."

He dropped his head and glanced up at her through his lashes as he began trailing a finger up her arm. "Well, we didn't exactly sleep all that much last night."

"I'd have to agree with that," she said as she gave him a knowing nod. "But the wake-up call was pretty nice."

"We could always lie down for a spell and see if it's as good the second time around," he suggested.

"As long as you're serious about the nap," she said before a yawn overtook her. "I wasn't joking when I said I was exhausted."

He chuckled as he gave her a kiss on the forehead. "Of course I'm serious about the nap. I need my beauty sleep after all."

With another eye roll, she began changing into a pair of pajamas as he stripped down to his underwear. 

Curling up under the covers, he pulled her flush against him and whispered, "Pleasant dreams, my love."

** _~ The End ~_ **

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_Author's Note: Thank you for reading Day 281 of my writing challenge. I hope you enjoyed it! What did you think of the ending? Do you agree that Odin was proud of them both in the end? He never came out and said it (he did tell Loki that Frigga would've been proud of the spell he put on him), but he did call them both his sons and he told them he loved them. I think he was proud of them. He knew he'd failed them, but they'd managed to become great men in spite of his shortcomings. Between Thor and Steve, I believe the rest of the team will come to accept them as a couple and they seem to be doing just fine! I'll definitely miss this Miniseries, but I'm happy where we left it. What about you? I look forward to your comments, and if you enjoyed this story, please consider reblogging!_


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